


One Step Closer

by Startouched_Daydreamer



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:39:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29716605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Startouched_Daydreamer/pseuds/Startouched_Daydreamer
Summary: Aaravos is finally freed from his prison, and he’s ready to resume his long abandoned search. Little did he know the key to finding it is closer than it appears.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	One Step Closer

‘Is this it?’ Aaravos thought as his eyes scanned over the shards of glass scattered at his feet. ‘I can leave?’ 

He reached a hand up as he stepped forward. He almost expected to hit a wall of glass, but much to his overwhelming joy, his hand went straight through to the other side. Next his leg stepped over the frame of the mirror, then the other, and then he was out. 

Claudia asked him something, but Aaravos’s mind was too far away to hear. His eyes took in the tall stone walls, the patch of outside world that resided at the opening. He walked forward, his boots clicking on the cave floor. He only stopped when he was standing in the light of the half moon. 

Everywhere he looked, he saw trees with patches of yellow, orange and red, and grass on the ground. Grass and dirt and trees, not marble or glass or curtains. He wasn’t in his prison anymore.

“I’m free,” Aaravos whispered. “I’m finally, free.”

Claudia came up to him, and broke him out of his little trance. “Don’t forget, we have a deal. I held up my end of the bargain, now it’s your turn.”

Aaravos looked her dead in the eye. “All in good time, Claudia,” he said, stepping past her. “But first, I need a walk.”

Claudia objected, but the Startouched elf quickly held up a hand and an invisible force kept her from taking another step forward. All she could do was watch as the archmage happily wandered off into the woods. 

Aaravos couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed a midnight walk through the woods. He took a deep breath in through the nose filling his lungs with the fresh, clean air tinted with the sweet perfume of the coming autumn season. A far cry from the stuffy miasma of his prison he’d been breathing in for the past few hundred years. He outstretched his arms and tilted his head back, welcoming the breeze that glided across his face and combed through his long, silvery hair. He opened his eyes and his heart swelled as tears of joy threatened to fall. There in the sky still sparkling just as brightly as they did before were the stars. His original primal source, and just one of the many things he missed more than anything being locked away for so long. Even though the air was crisp, he could feel his connection to the stars warming him up. So much so that he was beginning to sweat in his heavy boots. He pulled them off and buried his toes into the nearest patch of soft dirt. It got under his toenails, and the sticks and pebbles on the ground scraped and pressed against his skin. To anyone else, this would be very uncomfortable, but to him, it was another welcomed treat. Words can’t possibly describe how wonderful it was to feel warm earth and rough twigs between his toes instead of the cold dead marble of his prison floors. It wasn’t home, but right now, it was closest thing to it. He almost forgot that the star on his chest was still black and hollow. He touched his chest confused as to why it wasn’t glowing like it used to. He thought that his powers would start coming back once he was free, but they were still dampened. Why? 

He took a deep breath. One step at a time, he told himself. 

He kept walking touching everything in sight, and enjoying every last texture from the rough bark of a tree to the smooth surface of a boulder, every so often looking back up at the sky. His attention was so divided he actually manged to absentmindedly walk into a river. He was initially shocked by the sudden chill of the water, and by the fact that he was now soaked almost up to his hips. But after a moment, it felt quite refreshing, if not also astonishing. He wasn’t just soaking in a bathtub, he was standing in a stream in the middle of the woods, with fish swimming around him. A wide smile stretched across his face. Fish! He missed those cute little things. He chuckled and waded further into the river until he couldn’t touch the ground anymore and he dove into the water, allowing the current to carry him along with the fish. Who needs a soak when you can go for a swim? 

He floated along until the waters got calmer, and he climbed out, dripping waterfalls, and happy. He giggled as he continued walking, ringing out as much water as he could from his hair and clothes. It took him stubbing his toe to realize that he had left his boots behind. But did he go back for them? Nope! After being deprived of the outside world for so long, he welcomed walking barefoot in the middle of the woods. Eventually, he came to clearing, and lay down on the ground. The sticks and pebbles dug into his back and he was pretty sure the dirt was sticking to any and all parts of him that were still damp. But who cares? For once it was actually nice to be a little dirty.

Aaravos played connect the dots with the stars, finding a few constellations in the patch of sky he could see through the trees.

He heard a twig snap, and sat up, goosebumps spreading across his skin. He stood up, slowly. His yellow eyes darted around, searching for anyone else in the woods with him. A sharp feeling pierced his senses just as an arrow flew out of the bushes. He barely missed it, getting a sizable gash on his arm.

A Moonshadow elf leaped out and charged him with dual blades. Aaravos quickly dodged his attack and drew a rune in front of him, throwing a fireball at his attacker. The Moonshadow elf was knocked back on the ground with a severe burn just as a second one dropped from the tree tops with daggers in their hands. Aaravos drew another rune and sent out a flash of bright light, temporarily blinding the other elf, and giving him time to run the other way. 

Unlike when he fought with Viren, he didn’t have a weapon he could use, or time to draw so many runes. Despite the earth not being too kind to his bare feet, Aaravos still ran as fast as his legs would carry him. But after putting a few yards between himself and the Moonshadow elves, his vision started getting foggy, and he could feel his body growing weak. Those arrows must be dipped in some kind of poison. He tried to ignore it and press on, but he could just feel those elite Moonshadow elves gaining on him. Aaravos had only just looked back when he felt one of those daggers slash his shoulder. He cried out in pain and stumbled to a stop, clutching his wound. Blood was already oozing out of every little crack it could get to. He looked around for the Moonshadow Elves, only seeing rustling tree branches and shadows darting through whatever light that managed to leak through the forest. More arrows were fired, and Aaravos was able to stop most of them. The rest made more deep cuts on his skin. Before long, his entire body felt like it was turning to stone, and his brain was swimming.

Desperately, Aaravos focused and drew another rune as fast as he could. Just as the Moonshadow elves leapt towards him, he shot out both his hands, sending volts of lighting their way. They both were sent back, thumping against the trees and falling on the ground. 

Aaravos breathed a sigh of relief when the elves didn’t move. He limped forward, clutching his shoulder. He could feel the last of his strength leaving him with every step he took. He tripped on a root and stumbled down a slope, caught himself on a tree, and then collapsed right then and there. His legs had nothing left to give. He would have given in to unconsciousness if he didn’t suddenly hear a woman’s voice in the distance. 

“Hello? Is someone there?” he thought she called.  
Aaravos almost panicked. He couldn’t even walk, let alone run, and his looks alone make him stand out like a sore thumb. Worse still, he could hear footsteps slowly approaching. If this woman saw him, who knows how she’ll react. 

Wait! 

Aaravos focused and remembered that he knew a spell that he could use to avoid this outcome. He had a feeling it would come in use some time in the future. He scraped together just enough strength to roll onto his back, lift up a hand, draw the necessary rune, cast the spell, then succumbed to sleep just as he was engrossed in lamp light. 

—————

The first thing Aaravos felt was warmth. For the first time in centuries he was waking up and he felt warm. He fluttered open his eyes. It took him a moment to adjust to the bright light that leaked through the curtains on the window next to him. If the sun is up and shining now he must have been out for quite a while. His body felt heavy, and his head felt like it was hammered by a blacksmith. It took a moment for him to process what he was feeling against his skin. He was lying in a soft bed, covered in two layers of wool blankets. His tunic was replaced with bandages wrapped around his wounds, though as far as he could tell he still had his pants on. He didn’t have any horns to scrape against the head board or tear into the pillows supporting his head, which was a little strange, mainly because he’d long since adapted to sleeping on his side or his stomach when his horns started getting big.

He turned his head enough so he could see his hand. The glamour spell seems to have worked. His skin no longer reflected the cosmos, and was instead dark brown, with patches of a lighter complexion. As far as everyone else is concerned he’s just a human man with vitiligo. It took him a moment to notice there was another dark skinned hand laying next to his on the bed. It was accompanied by a pair of forearms propping up a bushel of bouncy, dark brown curls with lighter brown highlights. The hand was slim and delicate, and only an inch or two away from his fingers as if it was inviting him to hold it. He took that invitation and crept his fingers over, wrapping them around the hand, and gently squeezing it. 

The way humans touched each other was always so fascinating to Aaravos. With one little touch they can say exactly what they want to without using their words. They can comfort each other, oppress each other, show affection. Laying here in this bed holding this stranger’s hand, he recalled how humans would often hold the hand of a loved one who’s sick or injured, as if in doing so it would help keep them down to earth. He always wanted to try holding hands with someone. For once, he didn’t know what to expect. But it would be lying to say he was disappointed. The hand he now grasped was warm, and soft. It reassured him that this person was real. For the first time, he awoke, and there’s someone there with him. 

A moment later, the owner of the hand stirred and lifted their head up. Then sat up seeing that Aaravos was awake. They were a woman, dressed in a terracotta shirt and embraced by a light orange jacket with a dipping v-neck. She smiled, sighing in relief. 

“You’re awake,” she said, sitting on the bed and slipping her hand out of Aaravos’s. “How are you feeling?”

One should never expect Aaravos to complain about anything, but since she asked….

“Terrible,” he replied, his voice coming out slightly raspy.

“Can’t say that surprises me.” 

Aaravos took a few quick glances around the room, finding a nightstand with a glass of water on it, a desk, and a chair with his tunic slumped over the back. That was about it. “Where am I?”

“In my house. I heard some fighting going on in the woods and went out to investigate. All I found was you bleeding to death.”

Aaravos wanted to make sure he understood. “You found me, and then brought me here into your home?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The woman made a face like he should already know that answer. “Because you needed help.”

Aaravos was at a loss for words. This woman was a complete stranger, and yet without even knowing him she brought him into her home because he ‘needed help’. 

The woman suddenly put a hand on his forehead, then on the space between his cheek and his neck.

“What are you doing?” Aaravos asked. 

“Checking your temperature,” the woman replied retracting her hand. “Your parents never did that when you were sick?”

Aaravos didn’t answer that. Not that he could, anyway.

“Your fever isn’t as bad as it was the other night, but it’s still pretty high.” 

“The other night? How long have I been out?”

“The entirety of yesterday.” 

Which means Aaravos has been missing for that long. No doubt Claudia is going to be wondering where he is. Even so, he wasn’t going anywhere like this.

“The important thing is, you’re going to be fine,” the woman said standing up. “I’m going to get you something for your fever.” Then she turned and walked out of the room. 

Aaravos furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. First she brought him into her home, and now she’s trying to nurse him back to health. Why? What did she have to gain from helping him?

The woman came back a few minutes later with a steaming mug in her hands. She sat down on the bed again, and tipped his head forward so he could drink it. Aaravos’s face scrunched up as he struggled to swallow the sour liquid. 

“Trust me, the aftertaste is just as bad,” the woman said, “but it’ll do you some good. One more.” 

Aaravos choked down another big gulp of that medicine, and the woman slowly set his head down on the pillows, then the mug on the nightstand.

“Why are you helping me?” he asked. 

The woman looked him dead in the eye, which now looked hazel instead of piercing, Startouch gold, and said, “Because no one else was going to.” She gently touched his wrist. “I’ll be down the hall if you need anything. Try to get some rest.” 

“What’s your name?” Aaravos asked just as she was about to leave. 

She hesitated, as if even she, herself hadn’t spoken her name in a long time. “Rosetta.” 

“Aaravos.”

“Nice to meet you, Aaravos,” the woman—Rosetta—said with a faint smile. She stood up, slowly removing her hand. As she walked away she was unaware of him trying to reach out and take her hand back. He didn’t know why, but just for a moment, when Rosetta was smiling and touching his wrist, he begin to melt in the light of her dark eyes. And her touch…it felt so warm, and comforting. Even after she left the room, he thought he could still feel her hand on his wrist.

————————

_He was outside. Among the trees and the grass and the river. The sun shone high above him, warming him, and the land around him. He turned his head up, breathed in through his nose and shut his eyes. He stood there, savoring the smell of the outdoors until the wind abruptly died down. When he opened his eyes again, his heart dropped. Now he was standing in front of a frosted window, obscuring the view outside. Panic set in as he shook his head._

__

__

_“No…No…I can’t,” he denied. “I can’t be back here!” He turned and realized he was standing in a hallway. He just picked a direction and started running. He stopped at the first set of doors he came to and threw them open. There was his bedroom, immaculate due to lack of use. Since being imprisoned he didn’t see much use in using the bed when no one was around to criticize him for it._

__

_He ran to another set of doors and opened them. There was the dining room, needlessly enlarged to accompany an entire party, despite the dragon king deciding his punishment would be an eternity in solitary confinement._

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_The next set of doors led to the study. The bookshelves towering high with the same old books he’s read a thousand times since his sentence. The desk that he spent years pondering how he could escape his prison. And the mirror, standing in the exact same spot, facing him, almost as if it was taunting him. Reminding him of where he was, and that there’s nothing he can do to escape._

__

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_He approached the mirror with clenched fists and gritted teeth. Even though there was nothing he could do to even put a crack in it, battering his knuckles in the attempt will still help him blow off some steam. But just as he was about to land his first punch, he saw what was on the other side of the glass. Not his reflection, but Viren in his true form. The way he looked after doing a dark magic spell. Something was off about him. He stood in such a way that it looked like he could collapse at any moment. His knees appeared to shake a little, his head lulled to one side, and his eyes showed no signs of life. Aaravos took a closer look, and gasped when he realized what he was really looking at. This Viren was little more than a puppet held up by strings. Strings that were attached to Aaravos’s fingers. When he moved his fingers, Viren moved as well on his side. Aaravos made him put his hand on the glass and with applied pressure Viren’s hand went through the glass. Aaravos grabbed his hand and Viren pulled him through the mirror into the outside world, which was just pitch black as far as the eye could see. Aaravos couldn’t even tell what he was actually standing on._

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_He looked to Viren, who now held a pair of scissors._

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_“What are you doing?” Aaravos asked._

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_Instead of answering, Viren gathered up all his strings, and with a single snip, severed his ties to Aaravos. The minute the strings went slack, Viren’s appearance changed to a normal, healthy look._

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_“I won’t be your puppet anymore, Aaravos,” Viren declared, before walking off into the darkness._

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_Aaravos took a step forward to stop him, but he had already vanished. He turned and found Claudia standing in front of him, scowling at him._

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_“Don’t fool yourself, Aaravos,” Claudia scolded._

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_“What?” Aaravos asked._

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_“I think we both know I can’t help you find what you’ve been looking for.”_

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_“What are you talking about?”_

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_“The magic that existed before the primal sources. That deep, less differentiated magic that you’re so fascinated by. You think you can find it with me. But you’re wrong.”_

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_“Shut up!” Aaravos turned his back on Claudia, trying to block out her voice._

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_“You’ve tried and failed before. Why should this time be any different?”_

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_“Enough!” Aaravos spun back around, but Claudia had vanished. He looked around for her, anyone else who might be out here with him. But there was no one there. Not a single soul. It can’t be…he’s freed from the mirror, yet he’s still alone!? Did anyone even remember him?! No! It can’t be like this! Aaravos picked a direction and ran forward, calling out into the darkness. There had to be someone there. Someone who knew about him, who knew that he was alive. Then suddenly, a hand grabbed his shoulder._

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_“Aaravos…”_

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__

———————————

“Aaravos! Wake up!”

He was jolted awake by Rosetta’s voice and her hand gently shaking his good shoulder. 

“Shh, it’s okay, it’s okay,” she consoled. “It’s okay.”

Once Aaravos found Rosetta’s face, he never wanted to look away from her. She was here. She saw him. 

“I don’t know what you were dreaming about, but it can’t have been any good,” she said settling onto the edge of the bed. 

There was a moment of silence as Aaravos stared at her with his eyebrows furrowed.

“What?” Rosetta asked, confused.

“How long were you at my side?” 

“I had just come in to check on you. From what I heard, I’m glad I did.”

Aaravos could feel tears start to sting the back of his eyes. They must have started spilling out on his cheeks because Rosetta grew visibly concerned. 

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“I just…no one has ever…” Aaravos couldn’t find the words to properly articulate what he was trying to say. 

To his surprise Rosetta produced a handkerchief from her pocket, leaned in and gently wiped away at his tears. “Do you want me to stay for a while?”

“Please.” 

“Okay.” Rosetta pulled up the desk chair and sat down. “I’ll stay.”

Even though Aaravos could barely lift his arms, he still managed to shift his hand to the edge of the bed and turn it over, silently asking for Rosetta to hold it. Her last touch was the most comfort he’d felt in a long time. He needed to feel that again. He needed to remind himself that someone was there for him, if only for the time being. Rosetta caught on and tenderly slipped her hand into his, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. True to her word, she stayed until Aaravos went to sleep. 

—————————

The next time he awoke, some of the feeling was back in his body, which was a huge relief. After Aaravos had propped himself up in bed, he noticed that Rosetta was gone again. It took him a moment to realize that there was also a piano singing somewhere nearby. It was muffled but it was there. It was always so quiet in his prison. Any sound that wasn’t his own voice or his echoing footsteps was like candy to his ears. He closed his eyes and let the faint melody gracefully dance its way around his ears until it came to an abrupt end. A few minutes later, Rosetta came into the room holding a tray with a bowl of soup sitting on it. 

“Morning,” she said approaching the bed and setting the tray in Aaravos’s lap. She pulled up the chair and sat down. “How are you feeling? Better?”

“A little.” 

“That’s good.”

Aaravos looked down at the bowl of soup in his lap like it was a gift. And it was, to him at least. Had he ever tasted someone else’s cooking before? He couldn’t remember. Either way, he wanted to treasure this simple meal. He took the spoon in his hand and slurped up his first spoonful of soup, savoring the thick broth in his mouth before letting it run down his throat. He almost cried again from how delicious it was.

“So, I never asked how this happened,” Rosetta spoke up.

“How did what happen?”

“Your injuries. What happened? What were you doing out there in the first place?”

Aaravos chose his next words carefully. He hasn’t lied before and he didn’t plan to start now. But he also knew that Rosetta would have a hard time digesting the full truth. When in doubt, keep it short and simple. “I was out on a walk and I got attacked.” 

“You were on a walk at that time of night?”

“I’d been…trapped inside for so long. I needed to get out.”

“Did you also go for a swim? Because you were damp and covered in dirt when I found you.”

“Yes.”

Rosetta let loose a chuckle, then her smile twisted into a slight grimace as she looked over Aaravos. “Who could have done this to you?”

“Moonshadow Elves,” Aaravos replied. 

Rosetta sighed in disgust. “Why does that not surprise me?” She looked away, muttering to herself and curling her hands into fists. 

Aaravos didn’t make out much, save for the words ‘bloodthirsty’ and ‘savages’. “You have a history with Moonshadow Elves?”

“No, but I’ve heard stories. Some rumors of close encounters. And yet there are those who believe that we can all get along.” 

“What do you mean?”

“Word’s gotten around about a battle that occurred in Xadia. But not a battle against elves and humans. A battle where elves and humans fought together. I don’t know who they were fighting, but I don’t see how one battle is supposed to change anything. For all I know they only fought together out of necessity.”

Normally, this would be the part where Aaravos smirks and shrugs off the subject, but it was only then that he remembered that Rosetta didn’t know who she was actually speaking to. For all he knew the only reason she brought him inside was because she thought he was a fellow human who needed help. So at least for now, he was better off in his disguise. 

Aaravos finished his soup in silence, then Rosetta took the tray and left the room. He thought at first this was the part where she would disappear for a while, but after a few minutes she came back with a basket in hand and sat on the bed. 

“The doctor recommended the bandages get changed every so often,” she explained. “Wounds heal faster when they get some air.” 

Aaravos didn’t say anything in response. He just sat there and let Rosetta slowly undo each bandage, set them in the basket, then replaced them with fresh ones. All the while Aaravos was struggling to hold onto his dignity in his battle against more oncoming tears. Every touch was soft and comforting. It sent shocks of electricity and euphoria throughout his entire body. And Rosetta‘s voice. He couldn’t get enough of it. 

This was only the beginning. 

With Rosetta’s help, Aaravos slowly got better over the next couple days. Most of the time he was bedridden, either sleeping, eating whatever food Rosetta put in his lap, sipping more medicine, or listening to that piano. 

Eventually, he was able to finally leave the bed with a little help from Rosetta. His first walk outside of the room offered him his first look at the rest of Rosetta’s house. There was another bedroom a few steps down the hall that was set up similar to the one he’d been staying in, except this one looked like someone was still using it. A trinket on the desk caught his eye as he walked past. He wasn’t able to get a good look at it, but in the brief moment it was in his line of sight, he thought it looked like a brass statuette of some kind. A well-taken-care-of one at that, considering it caught the sun’s gaze as well. He kept limping along with Rosetta to the end of the hallway where they made a right and found themselves in a large room that also serves as a kitchen, judging by the stove and the oven pressed against the farthest wall. They passed by the table and chairs and entered the last room. A room with a cushioned bench sitting off center, a few feet away, and with two chairs on either side of it. Across the room is a large window with a sill, more than big enough for a grown person to fit through. And in the nearest corner sat a piano with faded paint.

So there’s the piano. But then there’s still the question of who plays it. He hasn’t seen anyone else in the house, so either this mystery musician is extremely shy, or playing piano is something that Rosetta failed to mention during one of their intermittent talks. 

“Cozy isn’t it?” Rosetta quipped, leaning against the archway.

Aaravos didn’t say anything, though compared to his prison, this place was considerably more cozy by comparison. He noticed a bird flying past the window and approached it, winding around the furniture as he went. He was overjoyed when he learned that he could open the window. Immediately he was bombarded with the incessant chirps of the birds, and the gentle breeze of the outside world. 

Rosetta appeared beside him, and peered out the window as well. “It’s a nice day today,” she observed, looking at Aaravos. “What do you say? You have the strength to go on a little walk?”

It sounded silly, but… “A walk sounds wonderful.” 

Aaravos happily followed Rosetta out of the house and into the sun. It reminded him a lot of the Sunfire elves, his least favorite type of elf. But at the same time, the warmth felt so nice on his skin. Even lighting a fire in his prison and putting on extra clothes did little to warm him up. He could have set the whole place on fire and the heat wouldn’t be enough for him. He missed being warm most of all. And only standing in the sun and the stars could give that feeling back to him. 

Rosetta took a deep breath in and let it out with a nice long sigh. “I needed this.”

Aaravos looked to her and asked, “Why is that?”

“I’ve been really busy lately. I guess, I just forgot to take a moment to enjoy a beautiful day.”

The disguised Startouch elf looked around at the people that were out, most of which were adults just trying to get from one part of town to the next. “They don’t seem to think so,” he observed gesturing to the other humans.

Rosetta just shrugged. “Maybe it is just another day to some people, but my dad once said that it’s called the present because it’s a gift. You never know when you’re going to leave the world behind, so you need to make the most of the time you still have.” 

Aaravos looked back up at the sky watching as the wind slowly moved the clouds to their next destination. One of the things that fascinated him about humans was how the simplest things can make them so happy. Maybe their short lifespans have something to do with it, their tendency to see the smaller picture, or how easy it is for them to get attached to something. But then, how is he, a First Elf who’s been around for millennia, able to enjoy something as small as the wind on his face, or dirt in his hair? 

Or the bite of a crisp, sweet, juicy apple?

Aaravos’s head started to sway and he leaned against the nearest sturdy object for support. A tree. A fruit tree. 

“Are you okay?” Rosetta asked, concerned.

“I’m feeling a little lightheaded,” Aaravos voiced, pressing the heel of his palm with his forehead.  
“Come on, let’s go back.” 

Rosetta took his arm and gently guided him back into the house and to bed, where he sipped some more medicine and took a nap. 

He had another dream. 

_He was in the western part of Xadia, the way it was before it was split in two. All around him elves and humans were walking among each other. The humans rode their horses, and the elves rode their magical beasts. The two races hardly said a word to each other, and any sideways glance that was offered only helped solidify their mistrust and disdain for one other._

__

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_Meanwhile, he was sitting underneath a tree with a book in his lap, when suddenly he heard leaves rustling overhead. He looked up and found a woman lounging in the branches. Despite her face being cast in shadow, he knew that she was smiling down at him. He smiled back. Then the woman held up a ripe, red fruit. One that he’d never seen in Xadia._

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_“Oh, Aaravos,” she sang. “Catch!”_

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_She tossed it down to him, and he caught it with both hands. He took a moment to look it over, wondering what this foreign fruit was called. He eagerly shined it on his cloak, and took a bite._

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When Aaravos awoke, a delicious smell was wafting its way up his nose, and his head was feeling a little more down to earth. He lifted himself out of bed, and slowly made his way to the kitchen where he found Rosetta humming that same piano melody while she cooked. Just by watching her one could tell that she knew what she was doing. She was in sync with the kitchen utensils. She handled them with care yet with a certain precision, and nonchalance that you only get after working with something for so long. She turned around and noticed that Aaravos was standing there, propping himself against the wall. 

“Hey sleeping beauty,” she teased. “Have a seat, dinner is almost ready.” 

Aaravos stepped to the nearest empty chair at her table and sat down. 

Rosetta soon set down two warm bowls of some kind of stew on the table. One for her and one for him. 

“Thank you,” Aaravos said, picking up a spoon and digging in. 

“You feeling better?” Rosetta asked, sitting down. 

“My shoulder is still sore, but yes, I’m feeling better.”

“That’s great. Another day or two and I think you’ll be good to go.”

Aaravos stopped just as he was about to take another bite, those last three words reverberating around his mind. “Yes…I believe so,” he reluctantly agreed, thinking about what he experienced in the past few days. 

Little did he know, Rosetta had noticed his reaction and was quickly putting together what he was actually thinking. “I won’t lie,” she began, “it’s been kind of nice having another person in the house for a change.”

“You live here alone?”

“I didn’t always. I did have someone live with me for a period of time. But that was mostly just to support her until she got back on her feet.”

“You have no friends?”

“Not really. Apparently, when someone learns that their acquaintance is a therapist, they can only assume that they’ll be treated as a patient from this point forward, and the only logical solution is to keep their guard up. Except, first of all, the people we see, we don’t refer to as patients. We refer to them as clients. _Patient_ implies that something is wrong with someone, but there is nothing wrong with the people who come and see me. _Clients_ are people who need a little extra help working through their problems, and adjusting to big life changes. And second of all, therapy is not a lifestyle. The minute I walk away from my client, I am off duty. I do not actively watch people and analyze their every move and try to interpret what that little facial tick might mean! I have hobbies too, you know!”

Aaravos just couldn’t help but sit there and listen to her voice rise a couple extra octaves as she got further along. He was no therapist, but he could definitely tell by the way she just told all of this to him, Rosetta didn’t have people she can really talk to. Something he understood all too well. Unfazed, he waited until there was a moment of silence, then asked, “Are you finished?”

Rosetta breathed in through her nose, sighed, then leaned back in her chair, massaging her temples. “Yeah, I think so,” she confirmed, looking up. “I’m sorry, you probably didn’t want to hear all of that.”

“Believe me, I understand how you feel. Still, you never mentioned you were a therapist.”

“It just didn’t seem worth mentioning.”

“I’m not too familiar with the work of a therapist. What sort of people do you meet with?”

Rosetta suddenly straitened up and went on the defensive. “Nice try, Aaravos, but what happens in the therapy session, stays in the therapy session. I have no right to talk about my clients with anyone, not even people I’m close to.”

“Not even people who are good at keeping secrets?”

“Everyone spills a secret sooner or later. A therapist’s client can never be one of them.” 

Aaravos raised his eyebrows. “You’re quite dedicated to you work, aren’t you?”

Rosetta lightly shrugged. “It’s not easy, but someone’s got to do it.”

“These clients don’t have friends and family they can speak to?”

“If they could simply talk their issues out with their loved ones, they wouldn’t be coming to me for help. There’s your petty daily dispute with your neighbor, and then there’s being a survivor of an tragic accident. The latter is like breaking a bone, or getting shot. You can’t just have a family member put a bandage on it and kiss it better, you need a professional who can properly heal that kind of wound.”

Aaravos hummed as he let Rosetta’s words sink in. It’s not often that he was impressed. But he had to admit she made a compelling argument. 

“But enough about me. What do you do?”

It’s also not often that he found himself backed into a corner. But just as he was about to say something, he was quickly saved by a knock at the door.

“Who could that be?” Rosetta wondered aloud, standing up. She stepped over to the door and answered it.

“Hey, I was just wondering if you’ve seen an elf around here by any chance?” a female voice asked. “One with big horns, and sparkly skin maybe?”

Aaravos leaned in his chair to look around Rosetta. He couldn’t see much of the figure on the other side of the threshold, save for some white hair peeking out from beneath a cloak. And he easily recognized that raspy voice. It was definitely Viren’s daughter, Claudia. 

“No, I’m afraid I haven’t seen any elves, much less the one your describing,” Rosetta replied, shaking her head. 

“Thanks anyway,” Claudia said before turning to leave. But just before she got an eye full of mahogany, she noticed a man with vitligo and long, chestnut hair sitting at Rosetta’s table. 

“An elf with really big horns and sparkly?” Rosetta chuckled as she sat down at the table. “Can you even imagine that?”

“Actually, I can,” Aaravos answered. 

“If Moonshadow elves can strike from anywhere and cast compelling illusions, what do you think an elf that sparkles can do?”

Aaravos hesitated. “Truly extraordinary things.”  
Rosetta just shrugged and they both kept eating in silence. Once they were finished, she cleared off the table and Aaravos started for bed. As he walked down the hall, though, he passed by the second bedroom and stopped when he saw the brass statuette on the desk. He seized this opportunity, and he entered the bedroom, and picked up the trinket, examining it. The statuette was a little girl twirling around a tree, sitting on a round, tall base made of marble that had some cracks in it. He kept examining it until he found a silver key sticking out. His curiosity piqued, he turned the key until it wouldn’t go any further, and then he watched what happened. The brass statuette began to slowly spin as a soft melody issued from it. 

“Careful with that.”

Aaravos almost dropped the musical statuette turning to look at Rosetta, who was already walking up to him with her hands outstretched. “This music box has already been broken once,” she explained, carefully lifting the musical trinket from his hands, “I don’t need it to happen a second time.” 

“Does this music box means a lot to you?” 

Rosetta hesitated, rubbing her thumb over one of the cracks in the marble. “Yeah…you could say that.”

“Do tell.”

“Why all of the sudden so curious?”

“Do you not wish to talk about it?”

Rosetta looked down at the music box, still singing its song, then set it down on the desk. 

“My sister and I got into a fight once and it ended with her breaking it. That’s all I’m going to say. And just so you know, it’s not very polite to just go into someone’s room without their permission.”

Aaravos took the hint and walked out of Rosetta’s room and into the hall.

“I’ll let this one go. But in the future, please, Aaravos, just stay out of my room.” Rosetta shut the door before he could respond. 

Later that night he was lying in bed unable to sleep. He kept his hand pressed to his chest, right where his star would be, as he went through each of the thoughts running through his head. He thought about each of the mistakes he made in the past. The lengths he went to, in his search of the magic that seemed just as elusive as the rest of his kind. He thought about how his actions ultimately led to the banishment of humans to the west. How it would come back to hurt him in the form of his imprisonment. But then he thought about how his most recent actions led to Viren going to war, to Claudia resurrecting him, to Viren being kidnapped, to Claudia desperate enough to turn to him for aid in exchange for his freedom. And now he’s here in Rosetta’s house. He still barely knew her and yet he already loved the sound of her voice, he found comfort in each of her touches, he admired how dedicated she was to her work, he was curious to know more about her and her relationship with her sister, he wanted to hear the rest of the story behind the music box. 

But why?

———————

That piano tune was back. And the pain in his shoulder had been dulled to the point he could easily ignore it. If this ends up being his last day with Rosetta, he wanted to spend it close to the music.

He slipped out of bed, crept down the hall and towards the living room where he saw Rosetta sitting at the piano, singing. Not with her mouth, but with the keys beneath her fingertips. 

And oh, how she sang. It was as if she was one with the over-sized instrument; she wasn’t even looking at her hands as she played. Her eyes were closed and her body was relaxed as she let the piano channel its music through her. 

Aaravos found himself entranced by what he saw before him. He was familiar with music, but he’d never watched a musician at work. Standing here, just listening to Rosetta sing with her hands, he felt as if he was being taken to another place. A place where the rest of the world is just background noise, and all he can feel is Rosetta’s silent singing flowing into his ears and around his very soul, making him lighter than air. 

Then the song ended, and Rosetta’s reaction brought him back down to earth. 

She took a breath to scream, but instead it came out as a sigh when she saw who was standing there. “Do we need to put a bell on you?” she sassed.

Aaravos blinked and straightened up. He wanted to make sure he was composed before he started speaking. Heaven forbid he starts stumbling over his words. “My apologies…you’re a very talented player.”

Rosetta’s cheeks flushed red. “Thanks.”

“So, you’re a therapist and a musician?”

“Only on my own time. Playing is just something I do to take my mind off things.”

Aaravos stepped closer to the piano. “I’ve always wanted to play an instrument,” he admitted tracing the woodwork of this carefully crafted piano. 

“Why didn’t you?”

“I was preoccupied with other things. And then I just never had the opportunity.”

“Well, since you’re still here…” Rosetta scooted over a few inches and patted the spot next to her. 

Is she really offering to give him a piano lesson? Aaravos took this opportunity and made himself comfortable on the bench. Rosetta went right to work teaching him the basics, how the different keys sounded, when to move his hands. It also helps to be a particularly fast learner. After an hour, Aaravos was almost flawlessly playing the same song that Rosetta had been playing earlier.

“You’re a fast learner,” Rosetta observed, visibly impressed. 

“Why, thank you,” Aaravos said, dramatically. 

Rosetta chuckled and rolled her eyes. She sighed and touched the keys on the piano. “You know my dad played piano. He taught me and my sister, and we’d often spend the evenings just sitting here together and playing songs. Sometimes we would take turns singing while the other played.” She smiled warmly. “Those were good times.”

For some reason Aaravos just felt compelled to ask, “Does your sister still play piano?”

“Not to my knowledge. But given that she’s a teacher, she probably doesn’t have the time or money for piano. Still, as long as she’s not abusing substances, I am happy with that.” 

Aaravos widened his eyes at the mention of substance abuse. But he didn’t want to press the issue. Not now at least. 

Rosetta stood up and started for the kitchen. “You hungry?” she asked.

Aaravos didn’t answer (not that it stopped Rosetta from pulling a pan from the cabinet). He stayed where he was, running his hands along the piano keys, sweeping his gaze over the sheet music in front of him. It was very faint, but he could just feel all the joy and serenity that accumulated here at this very spot. There was such genuine tenderness as Rosetta’s father taught her how to play. So much laughter and music filled the air as her fingers danced across these old keys. 

Before Aaravos knew it, that’s exactly what his fingers were doing. Only this time he wasn’t looking at the sheet music. He was just tapping the notes that felt right to him. The ones that helped him articulate what he was feeling at this moment. He closed his eyes and let his hands do the talking. Music filled his senses and lifted his spirit. Even though he wasn’t moving from the chair, his soul still felt as though it was moving with the melody. He rose and fell with each note, he spun and glided. 

He thought he heard giggling. 

Then his eyes flew open. His hands were hovering above the keys, just enough so they weren’t touching.

“I don’t remember seeing that on my sheet music.”

Aaravos looked up and found Rosetta peeking out from the doorway with a wooden spoon in her hand. 

“That was amazing,” she complimented. Her smile turned accusing. “Are you sure you’ve never played piano before?”

“I’m sure,” Aaravos confirmed, his slightly annoyed gaze wandering back to the piano keys.

Rosetta’s smile dipped. “Are you okay?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Should I prepare some more medicine?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. I…can’t explain it.” A sour scent pricked his nose, and he sniffed the air to deduce what it was. No doubt about it; “Some thing’s burning.”

Rosetta cursed and dashed back into the kitchen to save whatever was in the pan on the stove. 

Aaravos snorted and chuckled while he shook his head. Then he stood up and approached the window, swinging it wide open. He took a deep breath of fresh, morning air, sighing as he settled on the window sill, his elbows propping him up. A butterfly materialized and landed on his hand. He took a moment to admire the beautifully painted creature, before gently blowing on it and sending it on its way. As he watched it fly away, he noticed a dark figure on a hilltop. He was too far away to see who they were, but he had a feeling they were Claudia. The dark mage apprentice he should have rendezvoused with days ago.

He did have a promise to keep, and he was on the mend. He could leave right now and still catch up to her. 

Rosetta came back into the doorway to announce that breakfast was ready. Aaravos made his choice as he traveled to her table: he was leaving today. 

Rosetta was very quiet while they both ate. It was only after Aaravos had cleaned the eggs and bread off his plate that he looked up and realized why.

“What’s troubling you?” he asked. 

“What?” Rosetta replied, startled.

“You’re troubled by something.”

“I’m not…troubled it’s just…”

Aaravos leaned in. “What?”

Rosetta sighed and nudged her plate back to make room for her elbows. “It’s just, now that you’re on the mend, I can only assume that you’ll be leaving. Right?”

Aaravos hesitated. “Yes.” 

“Do you need to leave now?”

More hesitation. “Yes.”

“In that case,” Rosetta continued, standing up, “you’re going to need a horse.”

Before he knew it, Aaravos was being led to the stables. Rosetta knew one of the stable boys and she was confident that she could talk him into giving up a horse. As soon as they arrived Rosetta wasted no time searching for the stable boy in question, only finding him when she tripped on a bucket and he came out to help her up, which Aaravos just couldn’t help but cackle at. He stayed outside while Rosetta spoke with the stable boy, during which his eyes found a father scooping up his daughter and twirling her in the air before bringing her into a hug.

He thought back to Claudia, and how close she is to her father. Where Aaravos called the girl and asset, Viren called her his daughter. And in his arrogance, Aaravos thought he could separate Viren from his daughter easily. And he did, for a short time. But then Claudia pulled her father back. After the Storm Spire, Xadia was put second. What he wanted more than anything at that moment was to be freed from his wretched prison. At the time he just needed someone he could manipulate into freeing him. He just didn’t expect Claudia to be even more clever than her father. She only agreed to free him because she can’t rescue her father alone. The minute she and Viren are reunited she will leave him behind. 

He’ll be all alone again. He’ll be free, but still alone. Unless…maybe…

Rosetta came back with a white stallion in tow. “Can I talk a guy out of a horse, or what?” she bragged. 

Aaravos didn’t even offer a smile. 

She stepped up to him and offered the reigns. “I guess…this is the part where we say goodbye.”

He looked at the reigns in Rosetta’s hands, then into her eyes, her face trying very hard not to convey what she was truly feeling. She didn’t want him to leave either. Not when she was just starting to get to know him. But there was still something he could do. Something he always wanted to do: he pulled her into a tight hug. 

Although surprised initially, Rosetta was quick to return the gesture. 

Aaravos reveled in this small, tender moment. He welcomed Rosetta’s warm embrace. He savored the faint lilac scent of her hair. He could tell without looking that she was entangling her fingers in his long hair, but he didn’t care.

Finally, Rosetta muttered, “I’m going to miss you too.”

That was when Aaravos knew he had to let go now, despite how much he wanted to keep her close to him. He feared that if he let her go now, he’ll never feel her again. And yet he still pulled away. 

Rosetta offered the reigns again, and this time Aaravos took them and got on the horse. 

“Hey, Aaravos…”

“Yes?”

“If you ever decide to come back…I’ll be here.”

“…Goodbye, Rosetta.” Then he flicked the reigns and his horse started galloping away. 

Rosetta watched him leave, fighting the urge to go after him.

All the while Aaravos felt something tugging on his heart, like a child tugging their parent’s hand. A growing feeling urging him to go back. He ignored it and continued riding…but it wouldn’t go unnoticed for very long. 

END OF PART 1


End file.
